In a golf cart, it is common to incorporate a suspension system and a braking system on a common axle. Further, it is often necessary to locate the braking system and the suspension system in close proximity to one another along the body of the axle. It is essential that the brake system, suspension system and rear axle are all serviceable once assembled. Further, in designing such a system, it is desirable to provide for a quick and ergonomic installation process.
Wider golf carts that utilize a solid rear axle design in conjunction with a longitudinal leaf spring rear suspension require a configuration for attaching the axle to the leaf spring. Typically, these vehicles utilize U-bolts to clamp the leaf springs to the underside of a mounting plate fixed to a bottom of the axle. Threaded ends of the U-bolts are initially inserted over opposite sides of the leaf spring and are received up through the mounting plate and are secured by threaded nuts. Tightening of the nuts retains the leaf spring between the axle and the plate and thereby holds the leaf spring and axle in fixed contact. In this manner, the threaded ends of the U-bolts point upwards. This type of configuration works well for wide vehicles with drum brakes, but fails to accommodate narrower vehicles, specifically those with hydraulic disc brakes.
Narrow vehicles with hydraulic disc brakes require a much larger disc brake caliper in place of a typical drum brake traditionally found on a wider vehicle. The larger size of the disc brake caliper often results in reduced access to the U-bolts because of the calipers. The primary problem is that the caliper body blocks access to the nuts that secure the U-bolts tight, thereby hindering assembly, or service after assembly.
Therefore, it is desirable in the golf cart industry to provide a method of assembling a suspension for enabling improved access to the attachment mechanisms.